memories | j.grace

015 | family drama

everybody looked at him.

"uh, what do you mean, 'no'?" phoebe asked.

"that's not what happened. i—" he tensed, looking toward the cave entrance. "did you hear that?"

for a second, nothing. then phoebe heard it: howls piercing the night.

"wolves. i think they're close." phoebe said, standing up and pulling out her sword.

"sit down, you're hurt." jason whispered protectively, summoning his own sword as everyone except piper stood. phoebe felt bad that piper's ankle still hurt her too much to do much, she knew how it felt to feel like the weak link even when it wasn't your fault.

"i'm fine, sparky. i promise." she said, winking at him.

jason brushed a piece of hair out of her face and phoebe swore her heart starting beating a thousand times faster.

phoebe thought, just maybe, they might kiss; for real this time. then, just outside the firelight at the entrance of the cave, she saw a pair of red eyes glowing in dark.

stupid wolves.

more wolves edged into the firelight—black beasts bigger than great danes, with ice and snow caked on their fur. their fangs gleamed, and their glowing red eyes looked disturbingly intelligent. the wolf in front was almost as tall as a horse, his mouth stained as if he'd just made a fresh kill.

jason stepped forward and said something in latin. phoebe tried to translate, but only caught a few words.

she didn't think the dead language would have much effect on wild animals, but the alpha wolf curled his lip. the fur stood up along his spine. one of his lieutenants tried to advance, but the alpha wolf snapped at his ear. then all of the wolves backed into the dark.

"dude, i gotta study latin." leo's hammer shook in his hand. "what'd you say, jason?"

hedge cursed. "whatever it was, it wasn't enough. look."

the wolves were coming back, but the alpha wolf wasn't with them. they didn't attack. they waited—at least a dozen now, in a rough semicircle just outside the firelight, blocking the cave exit.

coach hefted his club. "here's the plan. i'll kill them all, and you guys escape."

"coach, they'll rip you apart," piper said.

"nah, i'm good."

"i believe in you, coach, don't worry."

"thanks, jackson!"

then they saw the silhouette of a man coming through the storm, wading through the wolf pack.

"stick together," jason said, glancing at phoebe. "they respect a pack. and hedge, no crazy stuff. we're not leaving you or anyone else behind."

the wolves parted, and the man stepped into the firelight. his hair was greasy and ragged, the color of fireplace soot, topped with a crown of what looked like finger bones. his robes were tattered fur—wolf, rabbit, raccoon, deer, and several others phoebe couldn't identify. the furs didn't look cured, and from the smell, they weren't very fresh. his frame was lithe and muscular, like a distance runner's. but the most horrible thing was his face. his thin pale skin was pulled tight over his skull. his teeth were sharpened like fangs. his eyes glowed bright red like his wolves'—and they fixed on jason with absolute hatred.

"ecce," he said, "filli romani."

"speak english, wolf man!" hedge bellowed.

the wolf man snarled. "tell your faun to mind his tongue, son of rome or he'll be my first snack."